LIBRARY OF CONGRESS,! 



1 



Chap. 8X9SLI1 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



AN 



HISTORICAL SKETCH 



OF THE 



PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 



IN 



NEW CASTLE, DELAWARE. 



BY THE 

Rev. J. B. SPOTSWOOD, D.D., 

PASTOR. 



" Hsec olini meminisse juvabit." — Virg. 



PHILADELPHIA: 
JOSEPH M. WILSON, PUBLISHER, 

NO. Ill SOUTH TEXTH STREET, BELOW CHESTNUT. 

1 85 9. 



AN 



HISTORICAL SKETCH 



PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 



NEW CASTLE, DELAWABE 



BY THE 



Rev. J. B. SP OT SW OOP, D.D., 




Haec olim meminisse juvabit." — Virg. 



PHILADELPHIA: 
JOSEPH M. WILSON, PUBLISHER, 

NO. Ill SOUTH TENTH STREET, BELOW CHESTNUT. 

1 85 9. 

H. 



New Castle, Delaware, May 11, 1854. 

Rev. J. B. SPOTSWOOD, D. D. 

Dear Sir : Having heard last evening, with deep interest, your Sketch of 
the History of the Presbyterian Church at New Castle ; and believing that it is 
of great general as well as local interest, by reason of its bearing on the earliest 
period of the planting of the Presbyterian Church in this country ; we would 
very earnestly request you to make its facts, collected with so much labor and 
arranged with so much care, generally accessible by committing it to the press. 
By so doing you will contribute a valuable fragment to our ecclesiastical 
history. Very truly yours, 

SHEPARD K. KOLLOCK, 
JAMES W. DALE, 
THOMAS B. BRADFORD, 
J. D. DUDLEY, 
THO. Or. MURPHEY, 
J. N. DANFORTH. 



At a meeting of the congregation of the New Castle Presbyterian Church, held 
on Monday, the 15th day of May, 1854, Elihu Jefferson was appointed Chair- 
man. 

The object of the meeting having been stated, it was, on motion — 

Resolved, That the thanks of this congregation are due, and are hereby cor- 
dially tendered to our Pastor, the Rev. John B. Spotswood, D. D., for his able 
and instructive history of this Church, delivered on Wednesday evening, the 
10th day of May, inst., and that he be respectfully requested to furnish a copy 
of the same for publication and general distribution in pamphlet form. 

Resolved, That Dr. Spotswood be requested, if compatible with his own views 
and other engagements, to continue his history so as to bring it down to the 
period of the dedication of the new church on Thursday last. 

Resolved, That an attested copy of the foregoing resolutions be addressed to 
the Rev. Dr. Spottswood by the officers of this meeting. 

ELIHU JEFFERSON, Chairman. 



The following discourse was delivered to the congregation in their old church, 
on the 10th of May, 1854, being the day preceding that on which their new 
church was dedicated. Its publication has been deferred to the present time 
with the hope of discovering materials calculated to throw additional light 
on some periods of the history, but this hope not having been realized, longer 
delay is deemed unnecessary. The writer desires to express his grateful ac- 
knowledgment to the Rev. Dr. Dewitt, Vice-President of the New York Histo- 
rical Society, for valuable information respecting the Dutch Church here ; and 
also to the Rev. Dr. Hodge, of Princeton, for the use of interesting manuscripts 
in his possession. 

New Castle, Del., 
February 4, 1859. 



HISTORICAL SKETCH. 



The early religious history of Delaware is so closely 
connected with the civil, that in considering the one, we 
are compelled to give some attention to the other. From 
the year 1637, when the country was first settled by the 
Swedes under the command of Peter Menewe, to that of 
1664, when it was conquered by the English under Sir 
Eobert Carr, it was alternately in the possession of three 
rival nations. The contests for supremacy prevented 
either from accomplishing much calculated to be perma- 
nent; and it was not until the close of the 17th century 
that sufficient confidence could be reposed in the stability 
of the government to encourage the establishment of reli- 
gious and literary institutions. But it is obvious from 
the existing records of that period, that each of the three 
nations which sought to plant a colony on these shores, 
was far from being indifferent to the interests of religion. 

The Swedes appear to have been a people deeply imbued 
with the spirit of the Gospel, and have left behind them 
no doubtful memorials of their zeal and enterprise in their 
ecclesiastical affairs. Their first minister was the Eev. 
John Campanius, who came over with Governor Print z 
in 1642. His was the high honor to be the first to pro- 



6 



claim in this part of the western world the glad tidings of 
salvation. The Swedes settled chiefly on the Christiana 
Creek, but had small settlements both above and below on 
the Delaware, one of which was at this place, which they 
called Sandhuken. Here they built a fortress, and named 
it Fort Casamir, which afterwards was known as Fort 
Trinity. Higher up the river, at a place called Tinicum, 
they built Fort Gottenburg, and in 1646 erected a house 
of worship. They retained possession of the country only 
for the short period of seventeen years, during the greater 
part of which time they were much annoyed by their 
neighbors the Dutch, who had established themselves 
firmly at New Amsterdam, and viewed with a jealous eye 
the settlements on the South River. After several skir- 
mishes the Dutch succeeded in dispossessing the Swedes 
of all their forts, and assumed the sovereignty of the 
country. This event occurred in 1655, the Dutch being 
led by their governor, the celebrated Peter Stuyvesant. 
From this period the Swedish colony ceased to exist. 
Many of them returned to their native land, many were 
carried to New Amsterdam as prisoners of war, and some 
were permitted to remain, the descendants of whom are 
with us to this day. Considering the smallness of their 
number, and the frequent interruptions to which they 
were exposed, they accomplished a great deal, and may 
justly be regarded as a pious and energetic people. The 
Dutch, by whom they were succeeded, had visited the 
river previous to their conquest of it, and in 1651 had 
captured this town, to which they gave the name of New 
Amstel. They, however, retained possession of it but a 



7 



short time, it being recaptured by the Swedes. Imme- 
diately after the conquest by Stuyvesant a regular govern- 
ment was instituted, and John Paul Jaquet was appointed 
governor. His administration was short, not exceeding- 
four or five years. He was succeeded by Peter Alrichs, 
who remained in office during the continuance of the 
Dutch dynasty. 

Although the period of their power was limited to the 
short space of ten years, yet the Dutch, like their prede- 
cessors, lost no time in doing what they could for the 
improvement of the country. Many of those who accom- 
panied Stuyvesant from New Amsterdam were induced 
to remain, and turn their attention to the cultivation 
of the soil, liberal grants of which were made to them 
by the government. Their number was rapidly increased 
by emigration, both from New Amsterdam and Holland. 
Whenever a number of emigrants was sent from the 
mother country, it was the invariable practice to send 
with them either an ordained minister or a schoolmaster. 
The latter was required to be a man of accredited piety, 
and in full communion with the Reformed Dutch Church. 
It was made his duty, not only to teach school and lead 
as chorister in public worship, but in the absence of the 
minister to lead in prayer, read a sermon to the congre- 
gation, and visit the sick. In the year of 1657 or '58, a 
Dutch church was organized in this town by the Rev. 
John Polhemus, while on his way from Brazil, where the 
Dutch at that time had a colony, to New Amsterdam, 
near which he settled and died. The same year a school- 
master was sent from Holland by the name of Evert Peter- 



8 



son ; and the year following the Rev. Everardus Welius 
was commissioned by the classis of Amsterdam as minister 
of the church in New Amstel, where he arrived soon after. 
He was the first ordained minister of any denomination 
who was settled in this town. He was permitted to 
labor but a short time in his new field, as he died two 
years after his arrival. He is said to have been a man of 
piety and learning, and his death was very much deplored. 
Peterson, the schoolmaster, was likewise a pious and de- 
voted man, laboring in his vocation, and supplying as far as 
practicable the want of a minister, and had to contend with 
many difficulties. In a letter dated in 1658, which he ad- 
dressed to the classis at Amsterdam, he refers to a very con- 
siderable number of emigrants who came over with the Rev. 
Mr. Welius, as being then in this town. He remained a 
number of years at his post, and at length removed to New 
Amsterdam, where, highly esteemed, he lived and died. 

From this period to 1684. we have a good deal of in- 
formation respecting this church, and are able to ascertain 
the names of several of its pastors. The Rev. Warnerus 
Hadsen was sent from Holland to minister to it, in 1662, 
but died on the voyage. In 1678, the Rev. Petrus Tass- 
chemakers settled and labored here between two and 
three years. There is a letter extant, written by him, in 
which he speaks of his ministerial labors in this town. 
He eventually removed to the north, and settled at Sche- 
nectady, where he came to an untimely end, being one of 
the victims of the dreadful Indian massacre which occur- 
red at that time. 

In 1684, there died in this town a French clergyman, 



9 



concerning whom we can learn nothing. It is presumed 
that he was one of the exiled Huguenots, who were then 
flying to this country, and of whom we shall have occa- 
sion to speak more particularly hereafter. 

In 1684, the classis of Amsterdam sent a pastoral letter 
to the church at New Amstel, in which they deplore the 
dissensions and difficulties which had arisen, and exhort 
them to conciliation, and common effort in promoting the 
Gospel and securing a ministry. 

In order to account for this state of things in the 
church, we must revert to the civil history of the time. 
Twenty years previous to the date of this letter, a com- 
plete revolution had occurred in' the government. In 
1664, Sir Robert Carr, at the head of an English expe- 
dition, sailed up the Delaware. He found Fort Casamir 
to be the only military post on the river, and it was so 
feeble that it surrendered without resistance. In the 
articles of capitulation the common people only were 
included, all the officers both civil and military being 
retained as prisoners. The inhabitants of the town, on 
taking an oath of allegiance to the British crown, were 
left in undisturbed possession of their property and pre- 
rogatives — and it was expressly stipulated 44 that the 
people be left free as to the liberty of conscience in 
church as formerly." 

Here it may be well to notice, that in the records of 
this period it is stated that 44 on Sandhook stood a small 
wooden church." In this building the Dutch continued 
to worship, as an independent congregation, although 
with diminished numbers. The name of the town was 



10 



now changed from New Amstel to that of New Castle, 
and was incorporated in 1667. 

Charles II. granted to the Dnke of York all the Dutch 
possessions in America called New Netherlands, but which 
from this time bore the name of New York. In this 
grant were included the three counties of New Castle, 
Kent and Sussex, on the Delaware. 

From this time the population underwent great changes 
by the arrival of emigrants from various parts of the Old 
World. The state of things in Great Britain was such 
as to expel from her bosom many of those choice and 
noble spirits, who prized the rights of conscience more 
than home, kindred, or native land. The act of uniformity, 
which was put in force in England, and the attempt to 
impose prelacy on Scotland, drove to this country large 
numbers of non-conformists and Presbyterians from Eng- 
land, Scotland, and the North of Ireland. Some of these 
devoted men found their way to this town, where they 
received a cordial welcome from their Calvinistic breth- 
ren. About the same time a similar but more violent 
persecution for the truth was raging on the continent, and 
more particularly in the kingdom of France. The Hu- 
guenots, a people dear to every Christian heart, a noble 
army of confessors and martyrs, to the number of 500,000, 
were, in 1685, by the revocation of the Edict of Nantz, 
d riven from their native mountains and valleys to seek 
asylums in foreign lands. A very large proportion of 
these fugitives directed their way to this Western World, 
which seemed to have been reserved until this time by 
the Almighty as a refuge for his persecuted people. 



11 



The Huguenots, on their arrival in America, settled, 
some in New England, many more in the southern colonies, 
and a few on the Delaware. It is obvious that, as these 
emigrants from France and Great Britain arrived here, 
in small numbers, and often one by one, they, in all mat- 
ters of religion, united with their Dutch brethren, who 
worshipped in " the small wooden church" on Sandhook. 
For the Dutch were Calvinists in doctrine, and Presby- 
terians iu discipline, while the Confession of Faith adopted 
by the Huguenots was drawn up by John Calvin himself, 
so that in doctrine and discipline there was a close resem- 
blance between the Church of Holland and that of France. 

Thus, it appears that, towards the close of the 17th cen- 
tury, there were gathered in this town individual members 
of the churches of these several nations, drawn together, 
not only by a common sympathy in each other's trials, 
but by the stronger influence of a common faith in the 
same grand system of religious truth. And here we are 
tempted to pause for a moment to contemplate the inter- 
esting spectacle that this congregation must have exhibit- 
ed, a spectacle of people of various nations and languages, 
exiles from their native lands, persecuted for righteousness 
sake, meeting in these ends of the world, and uniting 
together in the worship of that God whom alone they 
regarded as the Lord of their conscience, and to whose 
heavy dispensations they so meekly bowed. How pure 
and spiritual must have been their worship ! How fer- 
vently must they have united in their prayers and praises 
to that Saviour for whose sake they had suffered, and in 
whom they trusted for all their future. Would that they 



12 



could have looked but a little into that future, to see the 
glorious things God had in reserve for them, and to know 
that their persecution, and that of their brethren in other 
portions of the land, would be instrumental in laying the 
foundation of the freest, happiest, and strongest govern- 
ment that the world has ever seen. 

The letter from the classis of Amsterdam to the Dutch 
Church in New Castle, dated in 1684, alludes to some 
dissensions and difficulties in it. As this allusion is ac- 
companied by an exhortation to conciliation, and a common 
effort in promoting the Gospel, and securing a ministry, 
we infer that the chief cause of the dissension and diffi- 
culty was, as to which of the countries represented in the 
congregation the pulpit should be given. The Dutch, by 
this time, had fallen into a minority, in consequence of 
the frequent arrival of emigrants from Scotland and the 
North of Ireland. The great body of the people spoke 
the English language, and did not understand the Dutch, 
while the smaller portion were gradually becoming more 
familiar with the former. It was quite natural that the 
Dutch should be reluctant to yield to the demand of their 
English brethren, that the preaching should be in that 
language most generally understood. The point was for 
some time, no doubt, warmly contested; but at length 
the piety and good sense of the Dutch induced them to 
yield, and the worship was conducted in the language, 
and made to conform to the mode most familiar to the 
majority of the people. Accordingly, from this time, we 
lose all traces of the Reformed Dutch Church in New 
Castle, it having been merged into the Presbyterian. This 



13 



Church is therefore a succession, or rather a continuation, 
of the original Dutch Church founded in 1657. 

That this conclusion is correct, we argue, first, from 
the reasonableness and probability of such a result from 
the causes just stated; secondly, from the fact that in 
Presbyterian documents of about that time we find the 
names of English, Dutch, and French, either as members, 
Trustees, or Ruling Elders ; and, thirdly, from the fact 
that in a case of discipline, brought before the Presbytery, 
in which a Dutch member is charged with having married 
his deceased wife's sister, it is recorded that, " the Pres- 
bytery, considering some circumstances in regard of dif- 
ferent sentiments between the Dutch ministers and us in 
this affair, thinks fit to defer further consideration upon 
it till our next meeting, against which time, we may have 
occasion to hear more from the Dutch ministers about 
this case." It is evident from this record that the indi- 
vidual under discipline had married a second time while 
under the care of the Dutch Church, and that at the time 
of his arraignment he was a member of the Presbyterian 
Church. 

We are not able to designate the precise locality of the 
" small wooden church" found here by the English in 
1664, and concerning which Penn speaks in his letter to 
London, dated in 1683, but there is good reason for be- 
lieving that it is a part of the lot on which our new 
Church has been erected, and adjoining which is the 
graveyard of the old Dutch Church. 

The first Presbyterian minister who labored in this 
town, and the country adjacent, was the Rev. John Wil- 



son. That he preached here prior to 1703 is evident from 
the following extract from a letter dated February of that 
year, written by a Mr. Keith, an Episcopal minister, while 
on a tour of inquiry through the country, a copy of which 
is to be found in the " Collections of the Prot. Episcopal 
Historical Society for 1851." " At New Castle, 40 miles 
from Philadelphia, there is at present no minister; they 
had a Presbyterian minister called Wilson, but he had 
been gone about half a year." Again, on the 10th of 
April of the same year, Mr. Talbot writes as follows : 
" This (New Castle) is a pretty town on the Delaware 
River, between Pennsylvania and Maryland. There is no 
church, as yet, neither ever was an orthodox minister 
settled here, but one Mr. Wilson, a Presbyterian, that 
preached to the people in the court-house. He has left 
them the last winter, but, finding it not for the better, he 
means to come again this summer ; he has disobliged 
some of his people there, which makes them more favora- 
ble to the church which I hope, by God's blessing, to 
found here speedily." 

By a church and an orthodox minister, the writer 
means those belonging to his own denomination ; it not 
being any more in accordance with the spirit of that time 
than it is of the present, to regard any other as orthodox. 

Mr. Wilson did return, and not only continued to 
preach, but commenced making arrangements for erecting 
a new house of worship. For by this time " the small 
wooden church," built by the Dutch Church, had fallen to 
decay, and was, moreover, not sufficiently large to accom- 
modate the congregation, which had been very much 



15 



increased by the continued emigration from the old conn- 
try. The lot on which this chnrch stands was purchased, 
one portion of it from John Brewster, and the other from 
Thomas Janvier, and Sarah, his wife. The two deeds are 
in our possession, each dated the 15th of August, 1707, 
and executed to Roeloffe De Haes, Sylvester Garland, 
and Thomas Janvier, merchants and undertakers, or agents 
for erecting and building a Presbyterian church, or house 
of worship, in the town of New Castle." The considera- 
tion money for both was twenty-two pounds, Pennsylvania 
currency. 

On this lot was erected the house in which we are now 
assembled, and in which, for a century and a half, the 
worship of God has been maintained. 

It is highly probable that this is the oldest congrega- 
tion of our denomination in this country. The only two 
which claim to be more ancient, are the First Church in 
Philadelphia, and the one in Snow Hill, Maryland, both 
of which had settled pastors in 1701. We have no 
means of ascertaining the precise date of our organization, 
but there is a strong probability that it was in 1684: or 5. 
In 1703 it appears before us fully established, possessing 
all the elements of a church that had been in existence 
for some time; a bench of Elders, a Board of Trustees, 
and numbers and wealth sufficient to justify them in 
building a new house of worship; moreover, we find it 
at this date deprived for a season of the services of their 
minister, who must have been with it for some time, as 
he had become discouraged, and was absent, seeking 
another field of labor, but finding none, he returned, and 



16 



remained until his death. The congregation increased so 
rapidly, that it was necessary to enlarge the church build- 
ing, which was done in 1712. To do that, it was neces- 
sary to purchase from Mr. Brewster eighteen feet of 
ground adjoining. The deed for this portion is dated 
April 3, 1712, 

Mr. Wilson was a native of Scotland, and came to this 
country soon after his ordination. He appears to have 
been an active member of the Presbytery of Philadelphia, 
which was the first, and until 1716, the only one in the 
country. He was moderator of that body in 1707, and 
was appointed to conduct its correspondence with the 
Church of Scotland. His field of labor was not confined 
to the town of New Castle, but extended to Appoquinimy, 
and to White Clay Creek. As is usually the case, when- 
ever the means of grace are enjoyed at such long inter- 
vals as must have occurred in each of these congregations ; 
the people became dissatisfied, and importuned the Pres- 
bytery to make a different arrangement. Those residing 
at White Clay Creek, sent a petition to the Presbytery 
" to have the ordinances of the Gospel administered with 
more convenience and nearness to the place of their abode, 
promising withal due encouragement to the minister that 
shall be appointed to supply them." On the same day 
was read a letter from " several persons in New Castle, 
wherein they crave that the people of White Clay Creek 
may not be suffered to set up a meeting-house in the 
country; that their meeting-house and congregation in 
New Castle may not be damaged by this rupture of their 
fellow-members of White Clay Creek." The Presbytery 



IT 



H ordered that the people of New Castle and the country, 
should not be divided by setting up two separate meet- 
ing-houses." It appears from these extracts from the 
records of the Presbytery, that the people residing at 
White Clay Creek were in the habit of coming to this 
place to worship, as was also the case with those residing 
at Appoquinimy. 

During the excitement occasioned by the attempt to 
build a church at White Clay Creek, the Kev. Mr. McMsh, 
who had accompanied the Rev. Francis Makemie on his 
return from Europe, in 1T05, and was settled as pastor of 
the churches of Monokin and Wicomico, visited this town, 
and made such a favorable impression, that the people 
made out a call for him, which they sent to the Presby- 
tery, with a letter, stating the difficulties with which they 
had to contend, and urging the settlement of Mr. McNish. 
To this letter the Presbytery sent a reply, which we deem 
worthy of inserting here at length, as characteristic both 
of the men and the times. 

"May, 1709. 

" To the People of Neto Castle. 

" Out of a Christian compassion that we have towards you, we 
cannot but commiserate your present circumstances, and are heartily 
sorry for the misunderstanding that is between you and Mr. Wilson ; 
as also for the difference between you and our Christian friends in the 
country. We would be glad to fall upon a healing method to remedy 
these unhappy divisions. And, gentlemen, you may be assured that 
whatsover in duty, lies within the compass of our power,- shall not be 
wanting; but, after second thoughts and due sense of your condition, 
we fear that such changes set on foot among you in the present cir- 
cumstances concerning a minister, may prove detrimental to your own 

2 



18 



and our own common interest, especially when we take notice that 
nothing particular has been offered to us by you concerning our bro- 
ther Mr. Wilson, why he may not continue in his pastoral charge and 
function among you, as formerly. A general dissatisfaction is the prin- 
cipal thing, it seems, which is pretended, both in your letter to us, and 
by your and our friend Mr. Janvier. However, out of tender respect 
to you, we have, according to desire, presented Mr. McNish with your 
call, which he, for reasons given you by himself, cannot at present com- 
ply with. We beseech you, gentlemen, to put favorable constructions 
upon what we do, and that in truth and sincerity we desire and pray 
for, and endeavor your spiritual and eternal welfare; but yourselves 
may easily see that the sraallness of our number, the particular engage- 
ments that every one of us lie under already, render your supply any 
other way than by our brother Wilson, at least at present, impractica- 
ble. And therefore we entreat, nay, require you, in the Lord to concur 
with us; lay aside all prejudices; struggle not too much with provi- 
dential, unavoidable difficulties; be submissive — which is a truly Chris- 
tian temper; trust in God, use patient endeavors, and expect, without 
doubting, a comfortable issue, which we hope for, and shall constantly 
endeavor. Subscribing ourselves, 

"Yours, in the work of the Gospel." 

Mr. Wilson continued to labor in his extensive and 
difficult field until 1712, when he entered into rest. He 
left a wife, but no child. It is pleasant to know that the 
church made ample provision for her support during her 
life. 

Immediately after the death of Mr. Wilson, the field 
was divided into three parts, and each one assigned to a 
separate minister; White Clay Creek to Mr. Gillespie; 
Appoquinimy to Mr. Wotherspoon, and New Castle to the 
Rev. James Anderson. Mr. Anderson, the second pastor 
of this church, was a native of Scotland, and was ordained 



19 



by the Presbytery of Irvine. He arrived in this country 
in 1709. and was received into the Presbytery of Phila- 
delphia the following year. We are not able to say where 
he labored previous to his settlement here. During his 
ministry in this town, the Presbytery of Philadelphia, 
which was formed in 1704, with but seven ministers, be- 
came so large, as to render it "more serviceable for the 
interests of religion" to divide itself into three Presbyte- 
ries, and to erect the Synod of Philadelphia, which was 
done on the 19th of September, 1716. 

Of the three new Presbyteries, one was that of New 
Castle, and consisted of the following Ministers: the 
Eev. Messers Anderson, McGill, Gillespie, Wothef spoon, 
Evans, and Conn, all of whom came either from Scotland, 
or the North of Ireland, except Mr. Evans, who came from 
Wales. The churches belonging to the Presbytery were 
those of Xew Castle, Christiana Creek. Welsh Tract, Ap- 
poquinimy, Petuxen, and Patapsco. The first session was 
held in this house on the 13th of March, 1717. The 
church of Christiana was represented by Puling Elder 
John Steel, New Castle by David Miller, and Welsh 
Tract by William Williams; the other churches had no 
elders present on that occasion. Mr. Anderson, in the 
fall of this year, received a call to the city of New York. 
The congregation having become very much attached to 
him, and setting a high, estimate on his labors, made a 
strong effort to prevent his removal, as we learn from the 
following extract from the Eecords of the Synod. 

"This day a call from tlie Presbyterian congregation of Xew York 
being given in to the members of the Presbytery of Xevr Castle, in 



20 



order to be presented to Mr. James Anderson, after they had consi- 
dered of the same, together with Mr. Anderson's reasons for removal, 
did refer the whole affair to the Synod. The Synod taking into consi- 
deration the above said business, ordered, that a committee of their 
number be appointed to receive and audit the reasons of the people of 
New Castle, against the removal of Mr. Anderson to New York, or 
any other place, and that said committee do fairly determine in that 
affair, which committee is to consist of Messrs. McNish, Gillespie, 
Wotherspoon, Evans, Pumry and Thomson, and to meet on Tuesday 
next at 10 o'clock in the morning at New Castle, and that there be a 
letter writ to the people of New Castle, by Master Jones and Bradner, 
and to bring it against the next sederunt." 

The committee, after hearing- all the statements and 
reasons on both sides, determined to put the call into Mr. 
Anderson's hands ; and on his signifying his acceptance 
of it, they dissolved his pastoral relation, and " trans- 
ported him to New York." Mr. Anderson is spoken of 
by Dr. Miller, in his Life of Dr. Rogers, as a man of 
talents, learning, and piety, and a graceful and popular 
speaker. He remained in New York as pastor of the 
Wall Street Church, until the summer of 1726, when he 
accepted a call to New Donegal, Pa., where he died July 
16, 1740. 

The successor of Mr. Anderson, and the third pastor of 
this congregation, was the Rev. Robert Cross. He came 
from Ireland, and was received as a licentiate by the 
Presbytery in 1719, by whom he was appointed to sup- 
ply the pulpit in New Castle, "excepting that he shall 
preach every fourth Sabbath in Kent County — and with- 
out recommending to the said people of New Castle to 
endeavor to provide the said Mr. Cross with suitable ac- 



21 



commodations and encouragements." His labors were 
so acceptable to the congregation, that he received a call 
to settle as their pastor, which having accepted, he was 
ordained and installed on the 19th Sept., 1719. The 
sermon on that occasion was preached by Mr. Samuel 
Young, "lately come from Ireland, and Mr. Jedediah An- 
drews, of Philadelphia, being present, assisted in the ex- 
ercises." This was the first ordination service held in 
this house, and probably the first by the Presbytery of 
New Castle. 

At the meeting of the Presbytery in the fall of this 
year, this congregation was represented by Puling Elder 
Mr. Thomas Janvier. He was one of the Huguenots, 
and a progenitor of the present family of that name. 

Mr. Cross served this congregation until May, 1722, 
t; when he represented to Presbytery, that he had not 
that competency of subsistence from the people of New 
Castle, which was sufficient, and some of the most consi- 
derable of the representatives representing the same to 
some of the members of this Presbytery, and the said Mr. 
Cross desiring to be left to his liberty, the Presbytery 
deliberately considered his case, and do hereby grant him 
an act of transportability from New Castle, and at the 
same time do recommend him to continue in New Castle, 
if his congregation can afford him a competent maintain- 
ance." 

After this he remained until September of the follow- 
ing year, when accepting a call from Jamaica, L. I., he 
removed to that place. He subsequently became pastor 



22 



of the First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, when 
he died in 1766. 

The vacancy occasioned by his removal, was filled by 
supplies appointed by the Presbytery, among whom was 
the Eev. Mr. Hutchinson. This gentleman came from 
Scotland as a licentiate, and was ordained by the Presby- 
tery of New Castle. He was deemed so important an ac- 
quisition, that the Presbytery "ordered Mr. Gillespie to 
write a letter of thanks to the Presbytery of Glasgow 
for sending him over." He afterwards ministered to the 
churches of Bohemia and Broad Creek. 

It may be interesting to state here, that about this time 
the churches of New London and White Clay Creek were 
organized, the former in 1720, the latter in 1722. 

The congregation of New Castle was visited in 1726. 
by the Rev. Gilbert Tennent, who had been recently 
licensed, and was very popular as a preacher. He very 
soon received a call to settle. To this call he did not 
give a definite reply ; but continued to occupy the pulpit 
for several months, when he suddenly took his departure. 
At the next meeting of the Presbytery it was " ordered 
that Mr. Gillespie supply the people at New Castle the 
4th Sabbath of August next, and inquire into the conduct 
of Mr. Gilbert Tennent, in respect to a call he received 
from that people, and report the same to our next." Mr. 
Gillespie having performed the duty assigned him, re- 
ported, " that the people in New Castle are generally dis- 
satisfied with Mr. Tennent's conduct in leaving them 
disorderly, and brought in a letter to the Presbytery 
which he sent to them, declaring his acceptance of their 



23 



call. The Presbytery considering the letter and other 
reports of his willingness to accept their call, ordered 
Messrs. Craighead and Evans to give a full representation 
of said affair to the next general Synod, and likewise, to 
declare that the Presbytery is highly dissatisfied at such 
irregularity." The result was that Mr. Tennent was re- 
buked by the Synod, "which he seemed to accept in a 
penitential manner." 

During the year 1727 the pulpit was supplied by the 
Rev. Hugh Stevenson, who had arrived from Ireland the 
preceding year. He was subsequently the pastor of the 
church in Snow Hill, Md. After Mr. Stevenson left New 
Castle, the congregation made .out a call for the Rev. 
Samuel Gelston, of Long Island, but at the same time he 
received one from New London which he accepted. In 
the course of the same year, the members of this congre- 
gation residing in the country, sent commissioners to the 
Presbytery, to request its concurrence in the building of 
a meeting-house in the centre of their neighborhood. To 
this request, the Presbytery gave a favorable reply, with 
the proviso that they continued firm "to their purpose 
and promise of continuing members of the congregation 
of New Castle." This house was located on Pigeon Run, 
near the Red Lion. There is no reason for believing that 
there was ever an organized church, or an independent 
congregation at this place; but that it continued, as it 
was originally designed to be, a chapel of ease to the 
church at New Castle. 

The effects of so long a vacancy of the pulpit on the 
congregation were perceptible and alarming. Those who 



24 



lived in the country began to attend at other places, and 
soon abandoned New Castle altogether. Some became 
regular hearers of the Rev. Mr. Wilson, with consent of 
Presbytery, which occasioned a misunderstanding between 
that gentleman and the people of New Castle, as appears 
from the proceedings of Presbytery in the spring of 1731. 

"A member of N. C. congregation representing their case and de- 
siring supplies, the Presbytery taking occasion from thence to consider 
the irregularity of that people with respect to Mr. Wilson, thinks it 
expedient to appoint Mr. Hook to preach one Sabbath before our next, 
and make trial whether they be inclined to return to good order." 

Of the nature of this irregularity, and how it was set- 
tled, we are not able to ascertain, for at this period of our 
history closes the first volume of our Presbyterial Records, 
and the second, containing the minutes from 1731 to 1760, 
has been irrecoverably lost. 

A few years subsequent to this time the inhabitants of 
the village at Christiana Bridge obtained a grant of a lot 
of ground for building a Presbyterian church, and lor a 
burying place. This grant was made in 1738, but the 
church was not built until 1745. The congregation at 
this place was united, at that time, to that of White Clay 
Creek, of which the Rev. Charles Tennent was the pastor. 

The loss of the minutes of our Presbytery is very much 
to be regretted, as they refer to a period of deep interest 
and importance, for in it occurred the great revival of 
religion under the ministry of the celebrated Mr. White- 
field, which commenced in 1739. This period is also 
memorable for the division which took place in the Synod 



25 



of Philadelphia, when the Synod of Xew York was formed, 
and set up in opposition to it. The leading men in the 
new body were the Tennents, the Blairs, Mr. Dickinson, 
Dr. Finlev. and Mr. Burr. Among the leaders of the 
Old Synod were the Messrs. Thomsons, Dr. Francis Alli- 
son, Mr. Robert Cross, and several others. A portion of 
the Presbytery of Xew Castle went over to the Synod of 
New York, so that there existed, during this time, two 
Presbyteries of Xew Castle. There is reason to believe 
that this congregation belonged to the new one. It should 
be remarked here that the schism of 1*741 was not pro- 
duced by any difference between the parties on doctrinal 
sentiments, for both agreed in the cordial adoption of the 
Westminster Confession and Catechisms, but it was pro- 
duced by a difference of opinion with regard to plans and 
measures for promoting the interests of the church. 

This unhappy division continued for seventeen years. 
At length mutual concessions were made, and the two 
rival bodies were, in 175S, united under the title of the 
Synod of Xew York and Philadelphia. 

When the Rev. Charles Tennent left the churches of 
White Clay Creek and Christiana Bridge, the latter formed 
a union with the church of Xew Castle. This was effected 
in 1756, when the united congregations made application 
to the Presbytery of Xew York to send them a minister. 
The Rev. Daniel Thane, then the pastor of the congrega- 
tion of Connecticut Farms, was induced to pay them a 
visit. Being well satisfied with him, they made out a 
call for him, which he accepted, and he was installed over 
them on May 1, 1757. Previous to the union of this 



26 



congregation with Christiana Bridge, it was for a short 
time united to Drawyer's, under the pastoral charge of 
the Rev. John Dick, who was installed in 1746, and died 
the following year. Mr. Thane continued his labors here 
until about the year 1763, when he left. I am not able 
to find any memorials of him subsequent to this. After 
his departure, the united congregations remained vacant 
until 1765, when the Eev. Mr. Magaw was employed by 
them, as stated supply for one year. During that year 
the Rev. Mr. Kirkpatrick preached to each of them occa- 
sionally, who proved to be very acceptable to a large 
number, and more particularly so to those at the Bridge. 
Wben the meeting was held for calling a pastor, Mr. Ma- 
gaw received the vote of New Castle, and Mr. Kirkpat- 
rick that of the other congregation. As the former was 
the more numerous, they insisted on their right to settle 
the minister of their choice, and the minority being large, 
and adhering firmly to Mr. Kirkpatrick, a serious misun- 
derstanding ensued, which gave the Presbytery no little 
trouble. Among the various points of difference between 
them was the important one of who had a right to vote 
in the election of a pastor. This the Presbytery settled 
unanimously as follows: — 

" That every person who professes himself of our denomination, living 
in the bounds of the congregation, subject to the discipline of the church, 
and professing his willingness and design to support the Gospel, accord- 
ing to his ability, has a right to a voice in the settlement of the Gospel 
in the congregation ; it is further agreed, that all persons coming into 
a congregation, daring its vacancy, being properly certified, and all 
such professed Presbyterians as may have lived in the bounds of the 



27 



congregation, though they may have declined joining for some time past, 
yet now profess their willingness to join it, and resolutions to act as 
regular Christian members, are to be deemed as having a vote in the 
choice and call of a minister." 

The Presbytery, after laboring in vain to induce the 
two parties to unite on one of the candidates, or to drop 
them both and unite on some third one, finally consented 
that the majority should prosecute their call to Mr. Ma- 
gaw. It was accordingly put into his hands, and was 
accepted by him, but before the period arrived for his 
ordination, he saw proper to decline the call. The vacancy 
continued three years longer, during which supplies were 
furnished by the Presbytery. At length they united in a 
call to the Rev. Joseph Montgomery, who was originally 
a member of the Presbytery of Lewees, from which he 
was transferred to that of New Castle, in 1767, and settled 
over the church at Georgetown. That congregation being 
too feeble to give him an adequate support, he, after labor- 
ing among them a little more than two years, was induced 
to accept a call from these churches, over which he was 
installed April 16, 1769. 

On the 25th December, 1770, this church was repre- 
sented in Presbytery by Puling Elder Thomas Moore. 

Mr. Montgomery, while pastor of this congregation, 
manifested a deep interest in the all-important work of 
educating pious young men for the Gospel ministry. He 
laid before the Presbytery an overture on the subject, 
which, being discussed, was referred to a committee to 
mature a plan by the next meeting. In the mean time, 
the overture was distributed through the churches, " in 



28 



order to know their sentiments respecting it." In the 
following year a plan was agreed npon, and a Presbyterial 
Education Fund was established. According to this plan, 
each minister was to contribute one pound, each vacant 
congregation two pounds, and all others any sum conve- 
nient. The first student educated by this fund was Mr. 
James Wilson, who was taken under the care of the Pres- 
bytery in 1773. 

In 1772 Samuel Ruth, Ruling Elder, represented this 
church in Presbytery. In December, of the same year, 
the Rev. Samuel Stanhope Smith was licensed in this 
house. 

The fourth volume of our Presbyterial Records has on 
the first page the following memorandum : — 

" The troublesome times, war and distress, which took place, both in 
church and State, afterwards greatly deranged all affairs, civil and reli- 
gious, for many years, and the enemy marching through the Presbytery's 
bounds, occasioned the loss of their old records, and many of the run- 
ning minutes of that distressing day are dropped aside, or turned 
fugitive with the enemy, and disaffected; so that it is doubtful whether 
any of them that are lost or fled will ever be recovered or found. " 

This entry is full of interest and meaning, as it directs 
our attention to the great events of that period. The 
part taken by the Presbyterian Church in the American 
Revolution is not so extensively known and so highly 
appreciated as it deserves to be, and it may not be alto- 
gether out of place to make here a few remarks on the 
subject. 

The Kino: of Great Britain had not in all his dominion 
subjects more peaceful and loyal than the members of our 



29 



communion ; none who gave their property more liberally, 
or poured out their blood more freely to protect and 
maintain the constitutional rights of his crown. But 
these men believed that they owed allegiance also to the 
King of kings — that they had duties to perform to that 
great Being, which were paramount to all earthly claims, 
and when they were commanded to contravene his Word, 
to do that which their Bibles and consciences told them 
they ought not to do, here their obedience ceased, here 
their loyalty to earthly kings terminated. Such has 
always been the spirit of the Presbyterian Church. 

Although the revolution by which our independence 
was achieved did not originate from causes and grievances 
of a religious nature, yet every one who has studied its 
history knows that religion had a great deal to do with it. 

The act of uniformity, the operation of which had been 
suspended in England by the act of toleration under the 
reign of Queen Anne, had actually been put in force in 
the colony of Virginia, and the Presbyterians and non- 
conformists in the Northern and Middle States were in 
daily expectation that it would be imposed upon them. 
They saw in the encroachments of the government on 
their civil rights, the assurance of a similar encroachment 
on their religious rights. Had the British crown been 
successful in those long and bloody wars which followed, 
there can be no question as to the fact, that that iniqui- 
tous act would have been most rigidly enforced upon all 
the colonies. 

"By that act it was required that every clergyman should be re- 
ordained, if he had not before received Episcopal ordination — that he 



30 



should declare his assent to everything contained in the Book of Com- 
mon Prayer — should take the oath of canonical obedience, should abjure 
the solemn league and covenant, and should renounce the principle of 
taking arms on any pretence whatsoever against the king." — {Hume, 
vol. vi. p. 21.) 

This they would not do in England — rather than sub- 
mit to such tyranny and violence to their consciences, 
two thousand Presbyterian ministers threw up their 
livings, and went forth pennyless and homeless to do and 
suffer whatever else might be the will of God. It could 
not be expected that they would conform to the act here ; 
accordingly we find that, when the struggle commenced, 
they almost to a man espoused the American cause. An 
able historian remarks : — 

" That this apprehension of danger to the religious liberty of the 
country was not a feverish dread of imaginary evils. It was even better 
founded than the apprehension of danger to our civil liberties from the 
claim of the British Parliament to tax the country. As the Episcopal 
Church was established in England, and as those who had control of 
the government were members of that church, the Episcopalians in 
America were naturally led to be constantly looking for State patron- 
age and legal support. They claimed it as a right that the support 
and extension of the Episcopal Church in this country should be made 
a national concern." — {Hodge, vol. ii. p. 455.) 

These remarks must be sufficient to show the grounds 
of apprehension of danger to their religious liberty en- 
tertained by the non-episcopal churches in this country 
at the time of the Revolution. To them the declaration 
of independence on the 4th of July, 1776, was a declara- 
tion of religious as well as of civil liberty. " It is not 
surprising, therefore," says Dr. Hodge, " that they entered 



31 



into the conflict with a decision, which in many cases 
would render it more easy to prove that they did too 
much, than they did too little." The members of the 
Synod of Philadelphia and New York, whether convened 
in session or in their pulpits, did all they could consistent 
with their vocation to help on the glorious work. They 
prayed to the God of armies — they observed special days 
of fasting — they sent pastoral letters to the churches, 
exhorting them to maintain the union of the colonies, 'to 
cultivate and practise in their engagements with the 
enemy the virtues of mercy and humanity, and above all 
the love and fear of God. Some of them, finding their 
usefulness at home destroyed by the war, left their charges 
to serve as chaplains in the army, among whom was the 
pastor of this church and congregation. Others aided by 
their counsels publicly and privately ; one was a member 
of the Congress of '76, and a signer of the Declaration of 
Independence ; another was a confidential adviser of the 
commander-in-chief of the American army. I allude to 
Dr. John Rodgers, at the time pastor of the Wall Street 
church in the city of New York, from whose Memoirs I 
make the following extract : — 

" On the 14th day of April, 1776, General Washington reached New 
York, and took possession of it for its defence. Soon after his arrival, 
Dr. Rodgers, in company with other friends of the American cause, 
waited on the General to pay him his respects. The General received 
him with pointed attention, and when he was about to retire followed 
him to the door, and observed that his name had been mentioned to him 
in Philadelphia, which he just left, as a gentleman whose fidelity to the 
interest and liberty of the country might be relied on, and who might 
be capable of giving him important information, and added, ■ May I 



32 



take the liberty, sir, to apply to you, with this view, whenever circum- 
stances may render it desirable V The Doctor, after assuring him of 
the readiness and pleasure with which he should render him in the 
cause in which he was engaged, any service in his power, took his leave. 
It is not improper to add, that the General did actually consult the 
Doctor on several occasions afterwards, concerning several parts of the 
public service, and, particularly in one case, received from him important 
information. A number of letters passed between them, some of which 
were found amoug the Doctor's papers after his decease." — {Memoirs, 
p. 208.) 

I have dwelt thus long on the part taken by our minis- 
ters in the events of that period, not to indulge in denomi- 
national pride, but to do justice to forgotten merit, by 
directing attention to the spirit and character of those 
devoted men. They have all passed away; the places 
where many of them are buried are unknown, but their 
names are on record, and the time will come when they 
will be more familiar to the American ear. I have alluded 
to this subject also that we might appreciate more highly, 
and love more ardently that system of faith which was so 
instrumental in developing the noblest traits of the human 
character, and in producing such glorious results on the 
destinies of the world — that we may see that in fearing 
God, and obeying his word, we pursue that course by 
which we prove most useful to our race, and best promote 
the interests of our country, and that we may see how 
important it is to transmit to our children, unimpaired, 
and uncorrupted, those great principles to the mainte- 
nance of which we are so much indebted for all that we 
this day experience of the blessings of civil and religious 
liberty. 



33 



It lias been said that the labors of Mi. Montgomery 
were so much interrupted by the war. that he resigned 
his charge and joined the American army in the capacity 
of chaplain. This he did on the 29th day of October, 
1777. After the close of the war he removed to the State 
of Pennsylvania, and impaired health preventing him 
from preaching, he turned his attention to civil affairs. 
Such was his popularity that he was elected to represent 
his district in Congress, and subsequently in the Legisla- 
ture of the State. We have no means of ascertaining 
when or where he died. The congregation remained 
vacant from the resignation of Mr. Montgomery in 1777 
to the settlement of the Eev. Samuel Barr in 1791, during 
which time the pulpit? were supplied by the Presbytery. 
Mr. Barr arrived in this country from Ireland in 1781. 
He was a licentiate of the Presbytery of Londonderry. 
Immediately on his arrival he was sent to Xew London 
: Cross Roads, as a stated supply. Prom this place, he 
appears to have gone into the bounds of the Presbytery 
of Redstone, and then to have returned to this part of 
the country, and having preached for one year to these 
congregations, he received a call to become their pastor, 
which he accepted. His installation took place on the 
9th day of August. 1791. The sermon on that occasion 
was preached by the Eev. John Burton, and the other- 
services were conducted by the Eev. Eobert Smith, D. D. 
In 1794, Alexander Duncan was the Ruling Elder in 
Presbytery from this congregation, and in 1796 William 
Scott. 

Mr. Barr remained pastor of the two congregations 

3 



until Aug. 3, 1796, when, at his request, the pastoral re- 
lation was dissolved. He died here on the 31st day of 
May, 1818. For two years after his resignation, the 
pulpit was supplied by Presbytery. 

In 1799, the Rev. John E. Latta, who had been recently 
licensed, received and accepted a call to settle here. He 
was ordained and installed on the 13th of August, 1800, 
the Rev. Dr. Read presiding, and giving the charge. 

We can find no list of the names of the Ruling Elders 
of these congregations, until 1791, when Mr. Barr was 
installed. At that time, the bench consisted of the fol- 
lowing gentlemen, viz., William Scott, Robert Bryan, 
Samuel Barr, and William Aiken. Messrs. Ruth and 
Aiken having died in 1792, Alexander Duncan and 
Samuel Ruth were elected to supply their places, and at 
the same time James Caldwell was added to the number. 
In 1800, when Mr. Latta was installed, the session was 
again enlarged, by the election of James Couper, Richard 
Hambly, Dr. Robert L. Smith, and George Pratt, all of 
whom belonged to the congregation of Christiana Bridge. 
In 1802, Charles Thomas, Jacob Belville, and Hugh Gem- 
mill were added to the session in New Castle. In 1815, 
Dr. James Couper, Kensey Johns, John Belville, and 
Nicholas Vandyke, were elected from the congregation in 
New Castle; 1826, Matthew Kean. In 1830, James 
McCullough and James Smith, and in 1839 Elijah Start 
and John Gordon were added to the number of Elders in 
this congregation. 

The ministry of Mr. Latta extended over a period of 
twenty-four years, and was eminently blessed to the edifi- 



35 



cation and enlargement of the church. He was an elo- 
quent and faithful preacher, and an active and useful 
member of the church courts, of the highest of which, the 
General Assembly, he was the permanent clerk from. 1807 
to 1824. He died here on the 20th day of September, 

1824, in the year of his age. 

The Rev. Joshua N. Danforth succeeded Mr. Latta. He 
was ordained and installed, on the 30th day of November, 

1825. He served the united congregations until May 20, 
1828, when, with the consent of Presbytery, he resigned 
his pastoral charge, to accept a call which had been ten- 
dered him from one of the churches in the city of Wash- 
ington. 

One year after the resignation of Mr. Danforth, the 
congregation invited the Rev. William P. Alricks to be- 
come their pastor, he having for some months preached 
to them as stated supply. Mr. A. accepted the invitation, 
and arrangements were made for his installation, but when 
the time appointed arrived, he requested permission to 
return the call to Presbytery, and his reasons for so doing 
being satisfactory, his request was granted. 

The next pastor of this church was the Rev. John M. 
Dickey, who was ordained and installed on the 19th day 
of May, 1 830. He had not labored here more than eigh- 
teen months, before he received a call from the church at 
Oxford, Pa., then vacant by the death of his father. This 
call, after much deliberation, Mr. Dickey accepted, and 
his connection with this congregation was dissolved in 
the spring of 1832. 

He was succeeded by the Rev. James Knox, who was 



36 



ordained and installed on the 21st of November, 1832. 
Mr. Knox, finding his health failing, resigned his charge, 
in the early part of the year 1834. He was succeeded 
by the Rev. John Decker, who was ordained and installed 
on the 24th day of February, 1835. Mr. Decker served 
the congregation until the spring of 1842, when, at his 
request, the pastoral relation was dissolved. The four 
successors of Mr. Latta are yet alive,* and it is not proper 
for me to speak with any more particularity of fhem than 
to say that they were faithful and devoted men, greatly 
beloved by the congregation, and that their labors were 
blessed to the edification and enlargement of the church. 

The fact that this building, which is a small one, has 
accommodated this congregation for so many years, shows 
that as to numbers, it has been, for the most part, station- 
ary. The permanent population of the town has always 
been small, and the number of those who have resided 
here temporarily, has been much larger than is the case 
with most other towns. Not being a place of much busi- 
ness, the younger portion of the community, from which 
congregations are filled up, have, as soon as they became 
qualified for the duties of life, sought in the neighboring 
cities, and other portions of the country, the employment 
which they could not find at home. Probably no con- 
gregation of a similar size has more representatives in 
other churches than this. We find them not only in our 
eastern cities, but we can trace them, to a great extent, in 
various parts of the land. Not a few of them are to be 



* The Rev. Mr. Decker has since died. 



37 



found in the great West, and some even on the shores of 
the Pacific. "When the congregation undertook the erec- 
tion of the building which they expect hereafter to occupy, 
every pew in this house was rented, consequently no room 
existed for accommodating a larger number. It was 
thought that the interests of the congregation, and of re- 
ligion, would be subserved by a larger and more comfort- 
able edifice. 

With commendable unanimity and liberality the enter- 
prise was undertaken ; which, after many delays and dis- 
couragements, has resulted in the substantial and beautiful 
structure, which we are on the eve of dedicating to the 
worship of God — the history of which, at some far distant 
period, may be written by another hand, and be read to 
another congregation. 

And now, it only remains for us to bid farewell to this 
venerable — this time-honored building — to these walls 
which have so long resounded the praises and prayers of 
God's people. We are not sufficiently stoical to do so 
without emotion. We cannot, without a swelling heart, 
leave this sacred desk, from which, through long succeed- 
ing years, have been proclaimed the truths of the glorious 
Gospel ; or these seats which have so long been occupied 
by the worshippers of God. How many feet have trod- 
den these aisles, which are now walking the golden streets 
of the New Jerusalem ! How many voices have here sung 
the praises of God, which are now praising him in higher 
and nobler strains in the world of glory ! How often has 
the tear of penitence fallen here ! How many hearts 
have here been made to rejoice! How often have the 



38 



followers of Christ been here comforted and supported ! 
To how many solemn vows have these walls borne wit- 
ness ! How often has the sacramental table been here 
spread, and how many foretastes of heaven have been 
here experienced ! We bless God for all that has been 
accomplished here, for all his goodness and mercy vouch- 
safed to his covenanted people. We bless him for all his 
providential care and protection of this ancient church, 
that here he has so long had a seed to serve him. 

And it is solemn to think how many successive genera- 
tions this house has seen to pass away. 

" Where many a pious foot hath trod, 
That now is dust beneath the sod ; 
Where many a sacred tear was wept, 
From eyes that long in death have slept. 
The temple's builders, where are they ? 
The worshippers ? All passed away ! 
We rear the perishable wall, 
But ere it crumbles, we must fall." 

My hearers, like those generations, we are hastening to 
the same eternity; we are going to appear before the 
same God. 

The solemn lessons taught us by this review of the past 
are, that here we have no continuing city, and no abiding 
place, and that from earth and its scenes we will soon be 
removed forever. Let us, then, strive so to profit by the 
worship of God in his earthly sanctuary, as that when we 
go hence, we may be prepared to worship Him " in the 
temple not made with hands, eternal in the heavens/' and 
to join the great congregation that shall never break up. 



39 



PASTORS AND STATED SUPPLIES OF THE CHURCH IN NEW CASTLE. 



Rev. John Wilson, from 1700—1712 

" James Anderson, 1713 — 1717 

" Robert Cross, 1719—1723 

" Gilbert Tennent, S. S., 1726—1727 

" Hugh Stevenson, 1727—1728 

Presbyterial supplies, 1728 — 1 74G 

Rev. John Dick, 1746—1748 

" Daniel Thane, 1757—1763 

" Mr. Magaw, S. S., 1763—1764 

" Joseph Montgomery, 1765 — 1777 



Presbyterial supplies, 

Rev. Samuel Barr, 
" John E. Latta, 
" Joshua N. Danforth 



-1791 
-1796 



1791- 

1800—1824 
1825—1828 
Win, P. Alricks, S. S., 1829—1830 
John M. Dickey, 1830—1832 
James Knox, 1832—1834 
John Decker, 1835—1842 
John B. Spotswood 1842— 



RULING ELDERS, AS FAR AS CAN BE ASCERTAINED. 



Thomas Janvier, 


1709 


George Pratt — C. Bridge, 


1800 


David Miller, 


1717 


Robert Barr, 


1802 


Sylvester Garland, 


1719 


Charles Thomas, 


it 


Thomas Moore, 


1770 


Jacob Belville, 


it 


William Scott, 


1796 


Hugh Gemmill, 


1806 


Robert Bryan, 




Dr. James Couper, 


1815 


Samuel Barr, 


(( 


Kensey Johns, Jr., 


it 


William Aiken, 


u 


John Belville, 


11 


Samuel Ruth, 


It 


Nicholas Van Dyke, 


it 


Alexander Duncan, 


a 


Matthew Kean, 


1826 


William Ruth, 


1800 


James McCullough, 


1830 


James Couper — C. Bridge, 


a 


James Smith, 


u 


Richard Hambly, " 


n 


Elijah Start, 


1839 


James Caldwell, " 


a 


John Gordon, 


it 


Dr. Robert L. Smith, " 


n 


William F. Lane, 


1857 



I 



I 



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